The Whole Duty of Divine Meditation, Part 2 · Meditation 17
MED. XVII. The Canaanitish Woman's Faith.
Mat. xV. 28.
And Iesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.
BEHOLD this Canaanitish Woman, how fortunate and happy she was, to be found worthy of so great an Expression! Her Female Weapon compensated for the Guilt of its past Follies; having now, by its seasonable Answers, merited so Divine an Eulogy. Poor Female! how enrich'd was she, in whose Bosom was concealed a Treasure, which Emperors, Kings and Princes, compared to her, are Indigent: All the Holy Land, with its precious Balm, and odoriferous Spices, could not furnish her with a sufficient Antidote to revive her Darling, and charm away the Infernal Spirit from tormenting her. Behold these Miracles of Faith, that at once could save two Souls, the Mother's, and her Daughter's!
II. SO miraculous and potent is solid Faith, that even the least grain of it can remove lofty Mountains, level steep Hills, and smooth the most aspert and ambitious Soul, into a meek and fructifying Valley. 'Twas this that calmed the Surface of the foaming Ocean, that made the boisterous Waves an easie Path, and turn'd their furious Rage into a pleasant Walk for St. Peter's Feet. 'Twas the Centurion's Faith, that gave his Servant a Respite from the Hands of Death, which all his Guards could never have prevented: 'Twas by Faith, that the Blind Man was restored to his Sight; which was beyond the Skill of Art and Nature to perform.
III. ALL the Admirations of the Gospel were always concluded with, Thy Faith hath saved thee: And yet that Faith which then operated so many Miracles, is now grown the greatest Miracle it self. Whil'st some take the Symbol for the Thing, they fix the Magnitude of their Faith on the Greatness of their Works; and have so candid an Opinion of themselves, that they imagine it Faith enough, only to do well: Others expect to be Canoniz'd for their Doctrines, though not for their irregular Lives, they scoff at all Religious Duties, and imagine to tread the Path to Heaven only by their Faith.
IV. OBEDIENCE, hearty Contrition for Sin, that amiable Robe of a perplexed Soul, and the Royal Ornaments of our Spiritual Warfare, are but vacant Ceremonies, and both these Parties Belief are of their own forming. But Heaven is not purchas'd only by Speculation: He that fixeth his Faith in his empty Skull, and imagines Religion hath not its Attendant, may, like Moses, view and discourse of the Promised Land at a distance, but never approach to it. Our Obedience must cry out louder than our Pretensions. 'Tis not our Noise and Nonsence, that will create us Saints; 'tis not our external Shew of Profession only, but our daily Practises too, that must proclaim us Heralds of this Faith.
V. ALTHOUGH our Merits can never reach Heaven, yet our pious Endeavours may, if they are sincere; because there is a Mercy hangs over our Heads, that will pardon our Deficiency. All the Blossoms and Buds of our Piety spring forth from this Stem; and he that either believes or loves his Saviour that died for him, cannot imagine he is too much industrious to live well. This was the Female Sex's Faith here; and she had scarce effus'd it out with floods of Tears, when the Infernal Fiend, in a Consternation, forsakes his hold, unable to endure the Eccho of that Sound which was repeated by the diviner Accent of our Redeemer's Lips; and this Faith must be a Preservative against Sin; and by its diviner Charms, chase Satan to his Chains of Darkness. 'Tis this, that prepares Heaven for us; that makes us survive our Monuments, become Immortal in our Graves, and promises Eternity to our Dust and Ashes: 'Tis this that consummates our Happiness, and will safely arrive us, where the Blessed Jesus shall receive us into His Glory.
VI. O MOST Divine Omnipotence, Thou sentest Thy Son Christ Jesus to die for us, that by Believing in Him, we might attain to Everlasting Life. He, under whom Thou hast put all things in Subjection, was pleas'd to condescend to level Himself with them; and dethron'd Himself, to undergo a Crucifixion for our Souls, that we might receive the Benefits of His Death and Passion, and be Partakers of His Glory. Oh, let not those Miseries of our depraved Nature, which petitioned Thy Mercy and Compassion, make us uncapable of it: Let not those that plead Ignorance of Thee, but by Thy Miracles, be more ardous in acknowledging Thine abundant Goodness, than we who by the Manifestation of Thy Love claim an Interest in Thy precious Blood.
VII. BUT grant, O Lord, that we may live in a perpetual Thanksgiving to Thy Merits, who camest down from the Bosom of Thy Father, to purchase and save our Immortal Souls: To this end; do Thou inspire into us that Faith, without which it is impossible we should please Thee, and with which Thou annexes all other Graces. Teach us so to rely on Thy Mercies, that we may not neglect the Means, or imagine that a dead Faith will conduct us to that Life which Thou hast promised to none but them as work out their Salvation with Fear and Trembling.